New Orleans also posted adefensive ratingof 103.7 with Allen on the floor—the top figure among all Pelicans players who have logged at least 100 minutes—compared to a mark of 107.7 with him on the bench.

"He definitely brings the intensity," guard Jordan Crawford told Pelicans.com'sJim Eichenhofer. "He brings the fear factor. There are guys who the day before the game, they are thinking about having to face Tony Allen."

Allen's likely not much more than a bit player at this stage in his career, but his lockdown defense could be quite valuable to title contenders in need of low-cost reinforcements ahead of the postseason.